How One Mother-Daughter Duo Connect Through Fashion
In honour of Mother’s Day, we are celebrating the special connection between mothers and daughters. Elizabeth Sherwood, the vintage style expert behind @staygoldengirl, gave us an exclusive interview where she pays tribute to her mum Sandy Wilcox’s ethereal beauty and chic personal style that radiates with optimism.
“My mother’s style represents who she is on the inside; graceful, elegant, and someone who strives to treasure life’s special moments. Style is so much more than the pieces that we choose to wear each day,” says Elizabeth. “For my mother and I, we connect life’s most cherished moments to the outfit that we were wearing.”
With her mum’s life lessons about personal style and how timeless fashion can connect generations, Elizabeth says, “I’ve always had an interest in fashion and a strong point-of-view about what I was wearing (I insisted on wearing only red cowboy boots as a little girl)! Over the years, I’ve realized that my mother is the exact same way. Despite our differences, we can always connect over a beautiful pair of shoes, timeless blazer, or the perfect dress.”
Can you tell us a little bit more about your mum’s style?
My mother, Sandy, has always loved experimenting with fashion. From a young age, I remember watching her meticulously style outfits in her bedroom and she loved wearing red lipstick- still does! Her style is best described as French-inspired, timeless, and feminine, but always with something quirky and unexpected. She effortlessly adheres to the latest trends but never looks trendy- simply elegant and modern.
How has your mum’s style influenced your fashion choices?
When I was in high school, I remember getting dressed for the day, dripping in head-to-toe accessories. Though my mother has always cultivated my boundless love of fashion, she encouraged me to remove one accessory before I left the house. In her words, “less is more and I should let the outfit speak for itself.” To this day, I follow this advice when I begin to overthink my outfit styling. There is an art to curating a beautiful outfit and my mother has always encouraged me to hone and cultivate that skill.
We love how the love of a brand (and how it makes you feel) can be passed down from generation to generation. Can you tell us more about how your mum’s love for Laura Ashley was passed on to you?
When I was a teenager and had a growing interest in vintage clothing and thrifting, my mother would frequently talk about her love of the Laura Ashley brand. As I started discovering my own Laura Ashley pieces at second-hand shops, I was always excited to show them to her and hear her memories of that specific style. Her appreciation of Laura Ashley always sparked larger discussions around investing in quality pieces and how we both had an insatiable love for a good dress. Over the years, she has passed down several Laura Ashley pieces that she wore when she was my age. These are pieces that I treasure and they each hold a special memory for my mother.
Mother-Daughter lounging style perfect for Mother’s Day.
Your mum had a Laura Ashley dress that we’ve seen you wearing lately. Is there a fun story to tell?
One of my favorite dresses that my mother passed down to me, is the pink, puff-sleeve dress that she wore as she left her wedding in 1985. It was her first Laura Ashley dress and I adore the photos of her wearing it, alongside my beaming father. It’s the perfect shade of dusty rose and it’s my favorite Laura Ashley piece to wear. It also goes to show that items you wear for a special occasion can have a life beyond that one day.
For more fashion know-how, follow along with Elizabeth’s adventures in styling vintage fashion at @staygoldengirl.
What do you love about your mum’s style? Do you have a special piece of clothing that has been saved and passed down from generation to generation? Tell us your story in the comments below or tag us @lauraashleyusa or #lauraashleyusa.